This presentation provides simple tips to teachers on embedding critical thinking skills in teaching and learning scenarios.

2. The Greatest
Need...
The Highest
Desire...

3. OUTCOMES
• Meaning & Significance of CT
• Intentional Teaching of CT
• Embedding & Assessing CT
• Creating CT Teaching/
Assessment Plan

4. CRITICAL THINKING?
• CT is the evaluation & judgment of a
solution to a problem or issue.
(Vincent Ruggerio)
• CT is reflective thinking that is
focused on driving what to do and
believe. (Robert Ennis)

5. CRITICAL THINKING
• Making sense of the world by
carefully examining our thinking &
the thinking of others in order to
clarify & improve our understanding.
(John Chaffee)

6. CT Equation
Evaluation, Judgment, Reflection,
Making Sense, Understanding
___________________________
Student to be ACTIVELY & INTENTIONALLY
engaged in CT

7. SIGNIFICANCE OF CT
• To learn is to think
• To think poorly is to learn poorly
• THEREFORE, to think well is to learn
well
• All content, to be learned, must be
intellectually constructed
• CAUTION: Memorizing IS NOT learning
Source: Eric Rusten & Susan Schuman – USAID/PAEM & MoE

8. SIGNIFICANCE OF CT
SE
A L
! F
RY
OR
S

9. • Students come expecting to learn
TRUTH from AUTHORITY
• Fail to see that KNOWLEDGE is
UNCERTAIN
• Limited tolerance for differing
solutions...
• CT to students: "Finding THE answer"

10. WHY EMBED CT?

11. STRATEGY FOR
TEACHING (EMBEDDING) CT

12. TEACHING & LEARNING
METHODOLOGY

13. TEACHING & LEARNING
METHODOLOGY

14. CT SKILLS TO CONSIDER
EMBEDDING
• Mind Mapping
• Asking Qs
• Defining the central issue/ problem
• Classifying information into groups
• Placing info. in sequential order
• Distinguishing fact from opinion

15. ASSESSMENT OF CT
• What form of assessment? Good Q!
• Better Q is: How valid is the
assessment?
• Qs with a single correct answer do
not promote CT
• Move from simple to challenging CT
tasks

16. ASSESSMENT OF CT
• MCQs generally not good for
engaging in CT
• Supplement MCQs with short essay
Qs to test CT

17. ASSESSMENT OF CT
• Reasoning by Analogy
– Foundation to all general intelligence
(Hunt, 1982)
• Reflection
– Ask Students to reflect & write the steps,
rules used & the sequence in problem solving
situations

18. ASSESSMENT OF CT
– Ranking Assignment: present a task
with several options and ask to rank in
order of priority with supporting
reasons
– Lecture Summary on Wiki
• Most important concepts, in student own
words, using their examples

19. EXPERIENCE SHARING
• Connecting the dots assignment
• Write a paper (50-words) discussing how what students learned in
that week's topic is connected to other courses or life?

20. SCAFFOLDING
• Provision of appropriate support for
learning CT is crucial
– This support to be gradually withdrawn

21. SCAFFOLDING
• Atmosphere of Trust
– Allowing students to take risks and make
mistakes
• Validate students’ contributions
– Make encouraging nods & show patience

22. Good Luck with Your
Teaching of CT